Suspects’ vehicle in Cavite vice mayor killing found abandoned

Senior Superintendent William M. Segun, Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, said that the vehicle reportedly used in the fatal ambush of Trece Martires City Vice Mayor Alexander C. Lubigan was found abandoned on Wednesday morning in upland Maragondon municipality.

Segun, however, admitted that there was no lead yet as to the whereabouts of the suspects even with the recovery of the getaway Toyota Hi-Lux pick-up at the municipality’s Mabacao-Pantihan Bridge in Barangay Tulay B- Pantihan I.

The Maragondon police recovered the metallic black-dark green vehicle, with no plate number and conduction sticker, at 6:55 a.m. Wednesday.

Segun said that there was a hint that the suspects had planned to drop the vehicle from the nearby cliff. The Provincial Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) is now looking into the vehicle.

When asked if the vehicle recovery could be considered as a “breakthrough” or lead in the case solution, Segun said: “Hindi pa.” (Not yet.)

There were orders for provincial and local police officers to gather all the closed-circuit television camera footage of the suspect’s vehicle passages—from the ambush site to the area where the vehicle was recovered—as it may help in tracing the suspects.

Vice Mayor Lubigan and his driver were killed in an ambush on Trece Martires-Indang Road, fronting a gym, in Barangay Luciano at 2:53 p.m. Saturday (July 7).

Lubigan was about to board his black Toyota Hi-Lux pick-up when an M-16 rifle-wielding man opened fire from another vehicle.

Lubigan’s security aide was also wounded in the attack and is now recuperating at a hospital.

Another aide was unharmed during the burst of gunfire.

Segun said that there were at least two men, including the gunman, in the getaway vehicle.
A Special Investigating Task Group (SITG), headed by Segun, is now looking into the ambush facts and circumstances, the attack motive, CCTV footage, other evidence and witnesses’ accounts that may help in the solution of the case.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is also conducting a parallel investigation of the incident.

Cavite 6th District Representative Luis A. Ferrer IV and 3rd District (Imus) Rep. Alex L. Advincula have raised P400,000 for information and capture of the suspects in the Lubigan case.